Caitlin Clark's White privilege comments and embracing controversial new fans: USC's JuJu Watkins shares his thoughts.

JuJu Watkins, the teenage phenom of USC women's basketball, is not shying away from her new fans, including those who give her "headaches."

The surge in popularity of Caitlin Clark has sparked a wave of new fans, media attention, and disagreements among basketball enthusiasts regarding her treatment by the league, her fellow players, and the media.

Some longtime women's hoops stars have criticized certain supporters of Clark and advised them to stop following the sport.

Renee Montgomery, a former WNBA player and current Atlanta Dream executive, stated in her podcast in September that many of Clark's fans "cannot represent what the WNBA wants in their league." Sue Bird, a WNBA legend, criticized this group in her podcast in November, claiming that some of them are not even fans of Clark but are merely "acting" as fans while "pushing racist agendas and hate."

In her exit interview for her rookie WNBA season, Clark stated that some of her followers are not fans but are actually "trolls." This was revealed after Connecticut Sun players accused some of Clark's fans of racism during a playoff series against Clark's Indiana Fever in September.

Watkins, a 19-year-old college player, is not taking the new attention for granted as he is on pace to break Clark's NCAA all-time career scoring record.

The influx of new fans in the sport can sometimes be overwhelming, giving people a headache. However, it is great for the sport as it attracts more viewers.

"While we hope for positivity, we understand that it won't always be the case. As long as we keep increasing the numbers and viewership continues to rise, I believe that's all we can expect."

Even if her fans end up "hating" her, Watkins will still embrace the attention.

When asked if she wants the sport's controversial new fans to cheer for her, too, Watkins replied, "Yes, I love supporters and also haters."

"The game has multiple facets, and it's inherent to have both positive and negative aspects."

The selection of Clark as Time Magazine's Athlete of the Year sparked controversy among some in the WNBA, with Washington Mystics owner Sheila Johnson expressing criticism during a CNN interview. Johnson argued that Clark was chosen because of the media's portrayal of race and that it failed to recognize the other players in the league.

But Watkins thinks Time made the right call.

"I completely agree," Watkins stated. "In my opinion, she truly deserves it. No one has impacted the sport as much as she has, so I sincerely believe she deserves every bit of it."

Some of Clark's supporters criticized her during the Time interview when she said, "As a White person, there is privilege."

"When asked about Clark's comments on White privilege, Watkins replied, "It's super cool that she brought it to light.""

Like Watkins, Clark acknowledges the positive and negative attention that has come with her comments.

"The backlash at the 'A Year in TIME' event in New York on Dec. 11 is a result of the current state of affairs and the direction of the WNBA, and it's what makes it so exciting," Clark stated.

The intense rivalry between Clark and Angel Reese during the 2023 NCAA women's basketball championship game contributed to the surge in the sport's popularity over the past two years.

At the conclusion of the game, Reese raised her ring finger, sparking widespread debate.

In 2024, the women's championship outperformed the men's game in TV ratings for the first time in history, after Clark led her team back to the title game in her senior year.

Watkins believes that the women's college game will continue to attract more viewers than the men's game and she will contribute to its success as one of the top stars in college.

According to Watkins, it's clear that the women's college game is increasingly attracting male attention.

As an example of something that can keep viewers interested in their sport, Watkins pointed to her recent history against UConn star Paige Bueckers. The USC game against UConn on Dec. 21 drew 2.23 million viewers, making it the second-highest-rated game ever shown on Fox Sports and the most-watched women's college basketball game so far this season.

"I can only imagine what it will be like in March if that isn't a March Madness matchup," Watkins said.

To keep the spotlight on her sport and possibly break Clark's all-time scoring record, Watkins can utilize Clark as a resource.

Clark has given Watkins his phone number, and she can contact him for guidance anytime.

Watkins hasn't accepted Clark's offer yet, but is keeping it in mind for the right moment.

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